what model watch

Submitted by Tobaira on January 4, 2011 - 10:53pm

http://s899.photobucket.com/albums/ac192/tobaira/Bulova/

Trying to determine if this is an Academy Award model - pictures aren't the best but it was hard to take them. I saw another watch on the main list that looked very similar except for the band and the lines/numbering on the watch face.  I tried to take a picture of the back but apparently I don't know the technique.  The back has noted on the top "Bulova  10K Gold Filled L1" as well as the number "736798" on the bottom.  It was my grandmother's watch and still seems to work fine.  It looks like it was made in 1951 (I think that's what L1 means) and she passed away in 1961 so it's been sitting in it's box for the past 50 years.  It's in pretty good condition minus a chip in the lower right corner of the glass face.  Let me know your thoughts.  Thanks!

GVP
Posted January 5, 2011 - 12:09pm

 Case is the same but the dial is  not. Has this been replaced at some point? Also what movement does it have? Academy watches only had 21j movements. But even if it is the right movement unless it has the ribbed dial to go with the case it cannot be called an academy as it has been modified. 

I have 5 ladies Academy watches and all have the 6BC calibre movement

 

vintagebulova.com
Posted January 5, 2011 - 11:52am

Don't believe that it's an Academy Award model.

 

Tobaira
Posted January 5, 2011 - 3:45pm

Wow I didn't realize how easy it would be to pop open, I was afraid to before.  So the insde of the backing says "Bulova Fifth Ave New York"  and the whatever you call it watch part shows the following marks:

21 Jewels    L1   6BC (surrounded by a box)   Bulova Watch Co

and then it looks like there is a little dial above the moving part that is set the left (am afraid to move it to see what the letter is under the furthest left setting, there are 3 marks and then an s on the right end of the setting.  I suppose the 21 could be a 24 (is there such thing)

Unfortunately I don't know if it has been replaced.  My grandmother passed away 50 years ago and my grandfather probably 20.  I'll check with my dad but I'm not sure he will know

GVP
Posted January 5, 2011 - 4:03pm

In reply to by Tobaira

 that little hand with the S  by it adjusts the speed of the movement S-slower the other will be F for faster. So at the moment yours is on its fastest setting.

Well it is the same movement as the academy watches but the dial does not fit. It was either an academy that has been re-dialled or Bulova just used the same case, put a different dial in and called it something else.